Summer-y White Christmas in Phuket

I have been teaching here in Thailand for almost 3 years and although I’ve traipsed its roads from north to south, and back again, I haven’t really gone to any of its infamous beaches. So Ahne and I thought that since we are already here in Thailand, we should just go and head to Phuket and bear cringing a little because of the expenses for this trip. I’ll not sugarcoat it, Phuket is expensive---it’s understandable since it’s an ultimate destination for tourists all over the world. However, with our “trip-id” skills, we were able to cut down the travel cost to an amount that is very, very “okay na”.

We booked everything about two months ahead---the hotel, including the island tour. So, on the 25th of December, while we were bundled up in our warm sweaters and scarves, we took the 24-hour trip by bus going to Phuket. There are direct flights going to Phuket from the north of Thailand but since we were on a “trip-id”, the nauseating idea of yet another very loooong bus ride was bearable compared to the cringe-worthy airfare.

From the wintery 9-degree temperature of northern Thailand, we took a 24-hour bus ride for a summery white Christmas to the southern part of Thailand.

PHUKET TOWN
I just soo love Phuket Town!

We discovered this part of Phuket by chance while we were walking around.

Before I talk about Phuket town, let me have a travel tip to those who are planning to visit Phuket: It would really help your budget if you know how to drive a car or a motorcycle since it would be way cheaper to rent it and drive around the city compared to commuting. Taxi and motorcycle fares in Phuket are so expensive and we were caught by surprise with it.

I fell in love with the quiet, laid-back charm of Phuket town. It’s like their own version of China town and it also reminded me of Vietnam. However, what made it so charming were the doors. Yes, the whole stretches of its streets had houses and buildings which had extremely cute and charming doors. Notice how I used “charming” for several times already? I have this special love for doors and Phuket town was just a “door-wonderland”!

It’s a pity that all our photos in Phuket town were accidentally deleted. But I copied these photos from google to compensate for the deleted ones. So, here’s Phuket town, minus my dopey face on it!

The topmost picture was the sight that we saw when we went to one of the viewing points to see the whole city. We went there when the sun was about to set.

PHI PHI ISLAND TOUR

The island tour agency that we got, Rak Talay Travels, had really a commendable service. There were about 30 of us in a group that day, a big number were European and American families and groups of friends, and there were several Chinese people. The staff and the tour guides were all friendly and accommodating and you could really feel that aside from enjoyment, they really prioritize the safety of each one.

Hindi maikakaila, anak-dagat talaga ako. 

...because you can never take the sand and the sea away from somebody who was born and raised in a country with 7000+ islands

It was our first time to ride on a speed boat that we really chose to sit outside even though it was a bit of a “buwis-buhay”. We were like shouting all throughout the trip, until we got tired doing so and we decided to transfer inside. I was gripping the back of my seat so tightly because of the strength of impact every time the boat sliced through a wave---it was like being thrown down not on water but on a piece of concrete!

This island is just too beautiful that the pictures, with my dorky face on it, didn’t do justice at all to the actual charm of the island. Maya island was where Leonardo de Caprio’s, The Beach, was filmed.

The Pileh Lagoon is a perfect spot for swimming. It was a good thing that we had our life jackets on---poor girls who grew up in an Archipelago country but who didn’t learn how to swim! Ahahaha!

We had a buffet lunch in Phi Phi Don Island where I got to take this awkward photo with an iguana. Notice how I was trying to discreetly push its head away from my face? I was really so scared of its “palikpik”. Ahahahaha!

Snorkeling at the Mosquito Island was also a first time. Even though I don’t really know how to swim, but I never developed a fear of the waters. It was only during that time when I saw some 10-year old kids jumping into the deep water without their life jackets on and I, a 25-year old grown up who was fully geared, was actually trying to keep afloat by groping on the rope beside the speedboat, when I realized that I really need to learn how to swim. After several minutes of trying to keep my balance in the water by kicking the boat (I even feared that the boat might fall sideways because of the strength of my kicking just to control my balance in the water! Ahahahaha!), we decided to just go up the boat and watch the others enjoy their snorkeling. :(

It was always my dream to be on a beach with some pine trees growing on its sands. Seeing the stretch of pine trees at the Bamboo Island was a surprise and a dream come true.

This girl is embracing immensity. ;)

Ten years from now, my knees wouldn’t allow me to do jump shots even though I would love to. So, pagbigyan na!

LAST NIGHT IN PHUKET. These poor girls are pretending to be bazillionaires with a cheap glass of wine. Ahahahaha!

...because in the wide expanse of your skies,

I felt Your love that is all embracing.

...because in your crashing waves,

I heard Your voice calling my name, only my name. 

...because in the immensity of your seas,

I felt the depth of Your grace with no questions asked. 

...because in your gleaming sands,

You reminded me of Your love that is pure, unstained. 

...and because in your ragged cliffs,

I undestood that sometimes, what I need more is Your tough love.

---Phiphi island, Phuket (27-12-'13)

Thank you Lord because You never fail to let me see how Your hands work in all these wonders.